Button feeding mechanism



J. FORCA ,505946 BUTTON FEEDIN MECHANISM 9 Sheets-Sheet l :Fifi-.1 y d@ INVENTOR. James F0740 @L J. FoRcA ,@,46

BUTTON FEEDING MECHANISM 9 Sheets-Sheet v2 INVENTOR. @me F0746 ce 905,4 Hilf, 1f

9 Sheets-sheet 3 J IFORCA BUTTON FEEDING MECHANISM Filed June 28, 1945 mwfll iff 1 FQRQA BUTTON FEEDING MECHANISM Fig-.5.

I N VEN TOR. Jmes oc c@ W H95@ J. FoRcA @5946 BUTTON FEEDING MECHANISM Filed June 28, 1 945 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 :Piqua INVENTOR. James Flay/'c c; BY

4 J. FORCA Pylm BUTTON FEEDING MECHANISM Filed June 28, 1945 9 Sheets-Sheet '7 l N V EN TOR.

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A C R O F J BUTTON FEEDING MECHANISM 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed June 28, 1945 INVENTOR. JCE/m25 For/'cca mlm l A C R O F J BUTTON FEEDING' MECHANISM 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed June 28, 1945 INVENTOR. kjmesW/'Ca BY Patented pr. 25, 195@ .sans

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BUTTN FEEDING MECHNISM Application June 28, 1945, Serial No. 602,082

9 Claims.

This invention relates to sewing machines and more particularly to sewing machines constructed to attach buttons.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine which will automatically feed buttons into the clamp of the presser foot. A further object is to provide a machine which will not only feed in the buttons but will register them and align them correctly so that the holes in the buttons will be placed in proper alignment with the needle of the machine. A still further object is to provide means on the machine which will feed the buttons in with the correct side up. There have been machines for feeding buttons into the clamp of the presser foot but most of these machines require that the buttons be fed into the feeding mechanism right side up. An object of this invention is to provide a device which will automatically reject buttons coming from a hopper if the buttons are not right side up. When buttons are placed in the clamp of the presser foot of a button sewing machine, the holes must be placed in a predetermined place in relation to the needle. When this is done manually it is a tedious operation requiring considerable time and accuracy. On my improved machine this will be done automatically. Other objects and advantages become apparent from an examination cf the accompanying drawings and from the following description. In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my invention ape plied to a conventional button sewing machine.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a detailed elevation of the button sorting mechanism.

Figs. 4 and 5 are detailed views showing the operation of the test rod.

Fig. 6 is a detailed elevation of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a further detail taken on the line l-l of Fig. 8.

Fig. 8 is a detailed plan view showing a trapdoor.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the button selecting mechanism.

Fig. 10 is a detailed view of a portion thereof.

Fig. 1l is a plan view of the button feeding mechanism.

Fig. 12 is a rear elevation of the button feeding mechanism.

Fig. 13 is a detailed view thereof.

Fig. 14 is a sectional view of said button feeding mechanism.

Fig. 15 is an elevation of a portion of said mechanism.

Fig. 16 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. l5.

Figs. 17 and 18 are other detailed views.

Fig. 19 is a detailed view of the means for setting the mechanism in motion.

Fig. 20 is a detailed view of the button positioning mechanism.

Fig. 21 is another view thereof.

Fig. 22 is a cross-sectional view of the button feeding mechanism.

Fig. 23 is a perspective view of a cam plate.

Fig. 24 is a perspective view of a plate bearing register pins.

Fig. 25 is a view of a device for setting the button feeding mechanism in motion.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, my invention consists of two main elements. The rst of these consists of the mechanism which checks buttons fed from a hopper and rejects those through a trap-door which fall into the slide in an upside down position. The buttons then continue on the slide and are fed into the mechanism forming the second phase of the invention, which feeds the buttons into the jaws of the clamp on the presser foot and registers the alignment of the thread holes in the button so that the descending needle will pass through the holes and not engage the surface of the button.

My device is adapted to be fastened to the conventional machine 30 which is provi-ded with the usual presser foot 3| with clamping jaws 32. The device is preferably mounted on the shaft 34 so that it may be swung out of engagement if desired.

Any suitable means may be used to power the device and the power may be taken either from the sewing machine itself or supplied by a separate motor.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 10, inclusive, and more particularly to Figs. 3 to 10, inclusive, I provide a shaft 35 which is shown in Fig. 3 and is powered by means of a belt 35 on the pulley wheel 31. Mounted on the shaft 35 are a series of cam members 38, 39 and 40. A slide 4I leads from a hopper (it is not shown) and buttons move down this slide to the selecting mechanism. Mounted on the upright 42 is a carriage 43. The carriage 43 is mounted by two depending rods 44 and i5 on at least one of which is a spring it which tends to push the carriage t3 upwardly. A pin i1 limits the upward movement of the carriage 43. On the cam member 38 is an arm or nger 48 and a depending adjustable cam 49. It can be seen that the cam 49 may be adjusted by loosening and tightening the screw 5t. As the shaft 35 rotates the cam 49 engages a lateral extension 5| on the carriage 43, thus depressing the entire carriage a predetermined distance against the spring 45. The distance that the carriage 43 would be depressed depends upon the setting of the cam 49.

Mounted on the carriage 43 is a lever 52 pivoted at 53. A spring 54 tends to limit the movement of the lever. The lever 52 engages a link 55 which in turn engages a forked arm 56 by means of a pin 5l. y

The chute, or slide, 3| passes over a oor plate S0 in which is mounted a trap door 5i. ,On the bottom of the floor plate @l is 'connected' a mechanism 52 with a latch @t therein. The latch 63 tends to normally keep the trap-door closed. The trap-door has a raised surface |34 conforming with an opening d5 in the floor plate."` rEhe arm 56 connects with another arm Se which engages the latch member 63. As shown in Fig. '7the spring @l normally forces the latch into the locked V4'-position. lThe arm 6'5 has a cam face 63 engaging an opening in the latch, so that when the arm GS is raised the latch will open. vPivotally mounted on the carriage 43 isa latch member le having a. cutout portion within which the pin il mounted von Vthe arm 5t rides. The end 'i2 is turned at right angles and is adapted to be engaged by the catch i3 normally pressed into the position shown by'dotted lines in Fig. 3 by the spring lei. When the end l2 of the member is engaged by the catch' 73,'the sliding section of the pin 'l will -loldth'e 'arm 65 in a lowered posiionvand the cam face ed out of engagement with the latch`63 so that the trap-door 5| will remain closed.

Mounted on the cam member 38 is the finger V43,'ar1d as the shaft rotates this nger 48 will engage ythe top of the lever 52 at each rotation, thus pressing the arm ydownwardly and allowing the catch "i3 to engage the end 'i2 of the member 78. Mounted on the lower cam member il@ is an opstanding cam 'l5 adapted to engage the finger 'I6' mounted on the shaft ll, which, in turn, operates Vthe lever 'it on the red l5 so that the rod le will engage the underside of the trap-door Si to close the same if it is open. A spring 83 maintains the rod 'i in engagement with the bottom ofthe trap-door- Also mounted on the carriage 43 is the feeler rod 85, which can be adjusted so as to limit the travel in one direction byfmeans ofV the ring Sli and whichuoarriesan adjustable trip 8l. aspring'lt pressing the roddownwardly, When in its normal position, as shown in Fig. 3, the t-i rests just below the end l2 or the latch 73.

The buttons come down the chute il and are fed under the feeler rod 85. As the cam le depresses the carriage lill, the feeler rod S5 will be carried downwardly a predetermined distance. If the button is right side up the ieeler rod t5 will `go into the hollow portion thereof and nothing will happen. In the event the button is wrong side up, the end of the feeler :od will connect-with the button, thus forcing the rod upwardly against the spring 8S, tripping the latch 13,allowing the spring 89 to pull the arm 56 and with it the arm 6G upwardly, which results in the cam face 68 pulling the latch @-3 into theopen position, at which time the spring 8tpulls the trap-door open, allowing tre button to fall out into a suitable receptacle. As the shaft rotates `the finger 48 will depress the arm 52 re-latching Between the carriage and the e? is i.,

(lil

4 the member 10. At the same time the cam 'l5 will close the trap-door 6|. Mounted above the chute el is an upright e0 in which is pivoted a shaft 8|. Mounted on the shaft l is an arm 82 and a sec ond arm $3. A nger 94 i5 positioned in the upright 9h and carries the collar 97. The collar 9'! is positioned by means of the springs E93 and S9 and the collar 9i is engaged by the arm 93. Spring e5 cooperates to tension the position or the finger 94. The cam member 39 has a cut out portion 96 and as the shaitrotates it engages the arm 92, thus depressing the nger to prevent the buttons from moving down the chute except during the period when the portion passes over the arm '92. This results in the finger allowing one button tocome down the chute at a time. Just below the finger 94 are pivoted a pair of arms lll() and lill with their outer ends tensioned towards each other by the spring lait. A second pair of arms |533 and me are pivoted and have their'ends slidably engaging the arms it and mi, aysgshownfin4 ,Fig-,10. v ',Ihelpins ,liiextend upwardly over'thefho'using EUS where they'engage a third pair of arms li and ll. ufA slidable cam member ll is provided and is engaged bythe arm H0, which, in tinjri, is operated by arm v|||. Mounted adjacent to pulley wheel 3l is a concave cam, member |52 which on each revolution engages the' end of vthe arm i, thus operating the sliding cam member and causing the arms |93 and lill to move awayr from each other temporajy, thusr'releasing the buttonV held by saidfarms and allowing4 another Vbuttonio move into its place.

l It; will vbe rseen that as each button is moved into place, thefhfeeler Ared 25 moves downwardly, as shown in ligst Land 5. lf, as shown in Fig. 5, the button is upside down, the discard mechanism will be 'put into action. 1f, on the other hand, the button is asshown in Fig. 4, it will be allowed to passondown the chute 4| into the next phase of theoperation.'

The chute 4|` continues into the button feeding mechanismshownin Fig. 1l, etc. This phase of thejinvention involvesY two separate mechanical movements, oneinwhichthe rack bar iii picks up the button and moves it under. the registering mechanism l2and the second where the button is turned to register with pins so thatfit will be in proper posiLionY withrelalion to the needle, then, where the rack moves the button into the jaws 32 of the foot 3|. Obviously, this action must be intermittent depending upon when the operator desires a new `button to be placed under the needle. I, therefore, provide a clutch mechanism which, in neutral, does not aiiect eithethe rack or the turning mechanism and which when moved in one direction will operate only the rack while in the other direction will operate the centering mechanism. clu.ch vmechanism is operated by a grooved cam.

Referring to the drawings, power may be supplied from the same source as Operates the rest of the mechanism. lt may be transmitted by means of the shaft l2? through the worm |23 and .thegear |2d to the shaft i3d by means of the pinion le to the gear |32 loosely mounted on the shaft |33.V A grooved cam |34 is keyed to the shaft |33 for rotation therewith, and a cam wheel |35 is likewise keyed to the shaft |33. Means, which willhereaftervbe described, are provided to operatively connect and disconnect, by means of a dogthe1 gear, |32 tothe cam wheel I so that the shaft will be rotated wi'h the gear |32. Mounted on theshaft |36 is a sliding block |31 resiliently tensioned in onedirection by the spring aucunes |38. The sliding block |31 carries the linger |39 which engages the groove |l||| in the grooved cam |311. It also has an extension |l|| which engages the groove 132 in the clutch member |133. The clutch member |23 is provided on one side with a lug |112 and with a similar lug |25 on the other` side. It will be noted that the clutch is keyed to the shaft |39 by means of the key |29 so that it will rotate with the shaft. When the cam wheel is engaged by the pin |59 on the dog |5|, the grooved cam |55 will rotate and the block |31 will move first to one side and then to the other. When it moves to the left the lug will engage the pin on the gear |55, thus causing it to rotate and to cause with it the rotation of the gear |51 which carries the crank arm |58. The crank arm |59 engages the link |53 pivoted at through an extension to allow for clearance. The link |59 has an elbow |62 engaging the arm |63, which is pivoted at |64 to the gear |35. As the gear |51 is rotated by the gear |56 the action of the crank and the link causes the gear |55 to move first clockwise and then counter-clockwise, thus transmitting the motion to the pinion |35 on the shaft |31.

Mounted on the other end of the shaft |62 is a pinion |58 which engages the rack |10 on the sliding bar |1| recessed in the base |12. The bar |1| is provided with a button engaging portion |13 and has mounted thereunder a plate |25 car rying a pair of pins |12. Mounted on the pins is a cam plate |11 having a pair of apertures |8 adapted to accommodate the pins |16 and a cam surface |22 is adapted to engage a recess |813 at the bottom of the bar When the bar is in the retracted position the cam |19 will slide into the recess |99, so that the pins |15 will extend through the apertures |82 in the bar |1| to position the button in proper alignment. When the bar |1| is in the extended position the cam |19 will ride out of the recess |82 to depress the pins |16 so as to leave the button free. It will be appreciated that the plate |25 is secured to the bar |1| while the cam plate |11 rides on the plate to the extent that the pins |29 move in the slots |18 so that when the bar |2| is brought back the cam plate stays in the same position and the cam |19 disengages the recess |89. When the bar |1| is moved back the cam again engages the recess |80, and the cam plate slides on the pins |13.

It Will be readily understood that wth the pinion |68 engaging the rack |19, the bar 1| will be extended and retarded whenever the pin |55 and the gear |55 are engaged by the lug |25. As the bar is extended it will feed the button into the jaws 32 of the foot 3|. Mounted adjacent the slide :il is an upright |35 through which extends a shaft |25 on which is mounted an arm |81 carrying the linger |98. The action of this arm is controlled by arm |32 engaging the shaft |36 and contacted by the sliding lever |25, which, in turn is operated by the pivoted arm |99, having an end ||l which is engaged by the projection |92 on the bar When the bar is returned to the retracted position the projection |92 will cause, through the pivoted arm |99, the slide lever |89 to push the arm |21, pressing the finger against the buttons in the chute to prevent further feeding. Mounted on the bottom of the arm |81 is a stop |93 which, by reason of a spring |32, holds the buttons in place until the action of the sliding lever |52 causes the nger |88 to grasp the next button, thus it will be seen that only one button is released at a time.

As one button is fed into the jaws of the clamp another is deposited on the bar |1|` under the positioning mechanism |2|z` and the: bar |1|3 brought into retracted position. At this point the cam sleeve |311 reaches a point where the lug M5 disengages the pin |55 and the clutch moves toL the right where the pin 200 on the gear 20|- is engaged. This causes rotation of the gear 202 on the shaft 253. On the other end of the shaft 293 is a bevelled gear 294 which engages another bevelled gear 295 on a shaft 256. The shaft 2l|| 1 is provided with a gear 281 engaging the gear 293 on the Vertical shaft 299. The shaft 209 ismounted in the fixture 2 I9 which carries a female cam section 2| A corresponding member with a cam 2|2 is mounted on the shaft 299 and a spring 2M is provided to tension these parts together. The lower part of the support 2|5 positions said spring. On the lower end ofthe shaft 299 is a button rotating member 2| 6 having a soft under-surface 2|?. The under-surface 2|1 is designed to contact the button 'and .it may be made of sponge rubber or any suitable material. As we have previously seen, the action of the bar i1! in an extended position places the button between the jaws of the clamp 32 and at the same time places another button underneath the button rotating member 2|. This is done when the cams 2| i and 2| 2 are in complete register and the button turning mechanism slightly raised. As the pin 22|) is engaged by the lug |44 and the shaft 293 set in motion, the shaft 209 is caused to rotate. At the same time the bar |1| is retracted to a position where the cam |19 moves into the recess |59, so that the pins |16 move upwardly to engage diagonal holes in the button as it is rotated upon the pins. The shaft 299 completes its rotation as the grooved cam |34 rotates to a point where the pin |39 moves the clutch into a neutral position and the button immediately under the rotating and aligning device moves back into the raised position ready for another operation. The spring members 2 8 may be provided to position the button more securely. In order that the shaft 253 may remain dormant K when the clutch is in the neutral pos'ton, a

notched wheel 32|] is provided on the outer end thereof adapted to be engaged by the spring 32| and a similar notched wheel 322 is fastened on the end of the shaft |33 and engaged by the spring 335|.

A more detailed View of the action of the dog |5| carrying the pin |59 is shown in Figures 15 to 18, inclusive. We see that the gear |32 is mounted adjacent to the cam wheel |135. The end 229 of the pin |52 extends through a slot 22| in the gear |32 and the dog is pivoted at 222 so that the pin may slide in the slot 22|. It will be seen that when the pin is in position at the inner end of the slot, the pin |59 will engage the cam wheel |35 to place the shaft |33 in motion. When the pin is moved to the other end of the slot, or the outer end of the slot 22|, the pin will clear the surface of the cam wheel |35. Attached to the dog |5| is a link 225 which, in turn, is attached to an arm 226 pivoted at 221 to the lever 224. The lever 224 is pivoted at 23!! to the gear |32. It will be seen that pressure on the end 23| of the lever 224 will be transmitted through the arm 226 and the link 225 to throw the dog so that the pin |59 will move to 'the outer position of the slot 22|.

This action is controlled by the mechanism shown in Fig. 19, which consists of the shaft25|| upon which is mounted the trip block 25|, the lever 252, the finger 253 and the trip 254. The

amarres trip block 125i has an upwardly extending finger l255and a downwardly extending finger A The upwardly extending finger 255 is adapted -to beput Vinto action by means of a push totilt thefshlaft 250 in a clockwise direction. A

Ispring (not shown) normally pushes the catch block forward. As the gear 32 rotates, the yfinger 262 on the trip 254 engages the pin 50, i-Qrcinszit'inwardly in the slot 22i to a position vwhereit engages the cam wheel E35 to rotate the Ashaft L33 through the cam wheel 35. The start .of this action is indicated in Fig. 18. As the gear |32 rotates, the linger 253 engages the end 23| of :the lever 224 throwing the dog ll and moving :the pin d .to the outer edge of the groove 22! and out of engagement with the cam wheel. y.thasliaft 33 rotates, the cam 265 on the cam Vsleeve 34 engages the end of the lever 252, thus `exerting pressure on the pall 266 causing it to vassert pressure against pin 251 withdrawing the catch block 259 and allowing the shaft d to turn ina counter-clockwise position motivated by a spring attached to the end of the block 263, not shown in Fig. 19 but shown in Fig. ll as 269, thus disengaging the mechanism.

In Fig. 25 is shown a method for automatically setting the machinery in motion. There the presser foot 32 is engaged by an adjustable screw pin 215 so that when the presser foot is raised upon the finishing of the sewing, pressure will beexerted through the pin 215 against the rightangular arm 215 to rotate the shaft 211 and then exert through the arm 228, tilting pressure against the finger 256 on the bloclr 25l. The shaft 211 will, of course, pass through the plate 219.

It will be appreciated that the foregoing description is for the purpose of describing preferred form of my invention with which buttons may be fed continuously from a hopper A of any suitable tube through the rejecting mechanism which has a suitable container B for the rejects through the chute il and into the clamp 32 in correct alignment for sewing.

It will also be appreciated that many modifications and variationsin the arrangement and sequence of operation and general assembly of'my invention can be made without departing from the essential principles disclosed.

Il.' claim:

1'. In al device` of the character described a plurality-of'register pins, means for rotating a button until the holes in said button register with said.pins,vmeans for moving saidbutton into the holding clamps of a sewing machine foot, and

means .for selectively operating the first two mentioned means, said last mentioned means includ.- ingvaclutch, a grooved can adapted to move said clutch alternately into engagement with operating mechanism for said first and secondv Inca-ns.'

2..' In adevice of the character described means for feeding buttons into the jaws of a sewing machineA footfmeans for positioning said buttons to lregister them-with the needle of the sewing machina means for operating said first mentioned means including a clutch, a grooved cam engaging said clutch, to move it in and out of engagement with the respective operating means, meansforselectively actuating said cam, said means including a shaft, a cam wheel on said ,8 shaft, a gearrotating freely on said sha'ftf'and means on said gear to engage said cam"-Wliel to rotate said shaft. Y

'3. In a device of the character described means for feeding buttons into the jaws of 'a sewing machine foot, means for positioning said buttons to register them with the needle of the sewing machine, means for operating said rst `mentioned means including a clutch, a grooved cam engaging said clutch, to move it in Yand out of engagement with the respective operating means, means for selectively actuating said cam, said means including a shaft, a cam wheel on said shaft, a gear rotating freely on said shaft, and means on said gear to engage said cam wheel to rotate said shaft, and additional means for disengaging said cam wheel after one rotation there'- of.

4. In a device of the character described a plurality of register pins, means for rotating a button until the holes in said button register with said pins, means for moving said button into the holding clamp of a sewing machine foot and means for selectively operating the first two men'- tioned means, said last mentioned means including a clutch, a grooved cam adapted to move said clutch alternately into engagement with the operating inechanism said first and second means, said grooved being mounted on a shaft, a rotating gear freely mounted on said shaft, a Cam wheel adjacent said gear on said shaft, means on said gear to engage said cam wheel to rotate said shaft and means to automatically disengage said cam wheel from said gear after one com?k plete opera-tion. s

5. In a button sewing machine having a button holding clamp, means for selectively feeding'b'uttons to said button holding clamp, said means ,including a chute, a reciprocating bar under said chute, means for selectively feeding buttons from said chute to said bar, means for moving said bar and means for rotating said buttons to a'pre-` determined position. n

6. In a button sewing machine having a button holding clamp means for selectively feeding buttons to said button holding clamp, saidrmeans including a chute, a reciprocating har under said chute, means for selectively feeding buttons from said chute to said bar, means for moving said bar and means for rotating said buttons to a predetermined position, said last mentioned means comprising a shaft, a button rotating member on said shaft and means formoving said shaft downwardly to Contact said button and rotate the same.

7. In a button feeding mechanism a chute, means for moving buttons intermittentlyY along` said chute, a` door in said chute, a finger positionedabove-said door, means for causing' saidy finger to move downwardly a predetermined Ydistance as buttons are moved along said chute andover saiddoor, aY latch on said door, means co` operating with said finge-nto openv said latch' if the travel of said finger is interrupted by'a means for moving buttons intermittently along'. said chute, a door in said chute, aspring cateh'on'Vv saiddoor, a finger positioned above said door,

means causing said flnger'to move downwardlya rpredetermined distance as buttons are moved4 along said chute under said linger, means co# operating with said linger to release said latch if said i'inger contacts a button and means for closing said deer, said means consisting of a rotating cam.

9. In a button sewing machine means for feeding buttons, said means including a chute, a door in said chute, a carriage, a nger mounted en said carriage, latch means for opening said door opel'- ativeiy connected to said linger, means for selectively feeding buttons down said chute, cam means for causing recipmcal movement of said carriage, cam means for' resetting said latch means, cam means foiA operating said button feeding mechanism, and eam means for closing said dem:

JAMES FORCA.

1 REFERENCES CITED The foiiewing references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

